News

US Attorney General Jeff Sessions To Speak In Portland Tuesday

Attorney General Jeff Sessions makes a statement at the Justice Department in Washington, Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2017, on President Barack Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA program.

Susan Walsh

U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions will be in Portland Tuesday. He plans to speak to local law enforcement agencies about immigration and sanctuary cities.

Sessions has been critical of Portland and the state of Oregon for not freely sharing all types of immigration information with federal agents.

Sessions has specifically criticized Multnomah County for releasing Sergio Jose Martinez from jail. Martinez had been in the country illegally after being deported more than 20 times prior. After his release from Multnomah County jail, Martinez allegedly went on to assault two women before being arrested again.

Speaking at a rally in Miami, Sessions said cases like Martinez’ are doing “far broader damage to the country than many understand,” according to the New York Times.

However, Multnomah County Sheriff Mike Reese has pushed back against Sessions and the Justice Department, saying federal immigration agents often fail to seek warrants for arrests. Without those warrants, Reese has said his department is not legally able to hold people in custody simply because they are violating immigration law.